The use of switchgear panels is known in the field of electrical distribution. From a structural point of view, known switchgear panels, which can also be indicated with the equivalent terms of electric switchboards, or simply switchgear or electric panels, or similar definitions, include a metallic cubicle that is internally divided into several compartments or cells housing various apparatuses and equipment. For example, one compartment can house a switching unit, such as a circuit breaker, a second compartment can house main connections, such as bus-bars, feeding power from an electrical source, and a further compartment can house a system of cables suitable to be connected to a load, for example an electrical motor.
For example, the circuit breaker, can be the withdrawable type, when in operation is connected in input and output to corresponding contact pieces associated with a source side (for example bus.-bars) and a load side (for example other conductors or cables), respectively, of a circuit to which it is associated. For example, in case of faults occurring along the associated circuit, the circuit breaker can intervene and interrupt the flow of current.
At a certain time the installed circuit breaker, once reaching the end of its useful life, which may last several years, needs to be replaced by functionally equivalent devices. For example, such a replacement may also be temporarily needed during its working life, for example, due to maintenance interventions.
In both situations, such replacements entail some problems, either because the circuit breaker to be replaced is very old and therefore not produced any more by the original manufacturer or because the user wishes to use circuit breakers marketed by different manufacturers.
Hence, a problem of compatibility may arise between the circuit breaker to be used and the structural and/or functional characteristics of the existing switchgear panel into which the new circuit breaker has to be installed. For example, the distance between the pre-existing contact pieces of the electric circuit may be totally different and unsuitable with respect to the distance of the corresponding input and output connection contacts of the circuit breaker.
One relatively expensive solution adopted to face this issue is to replace the entire switchgear panel instead of retrofitting it by replacing only the circuit breaker.
Another solution foresees to replace the old circuit breaker with a new one modified case by case in order to customize it with the specific existing switchgear panel, or to modify the existing switchgear panel in order to adapt it to the new circuit breaker under installation.
A customized approach as described can use an extensive use of highly qualified resources and face practical problems. For example, design an ad-hoc solution can be needed for each retrofit intervention including knowing the specific dimensions and functionalities of the original circuit breaker and/or related panel, including possible variations that may affect functionality and safety.